Believe
by Inspiration17
Summary: Sasuke works nonstop, and it's tearing his family apart. His wife & friends try to pull him back, but only a final act from his best friend can open his eyes. But at what final cost? songfic Believe by yellowcard non yaoi friendship rated character death


**If you think you may have seen this story before, you are probably right. I posted this about a year ago on an account that I shared with my friend. Now we both have separate accounts and I wanted to make sure there was a link to this story on mine.**

**This version has been edited, so if you would like to see the original check it out on **

**DemonTwins-Ichigo-Makuri's page**

**This is a songfic for Believe by Yellowcard.**

The class buzzed with excitement children pointed and laughed at the creative costumes their friends were wearing. They sat in their desks, barely restraining the energized jitters of the day's events.

Their sensei sat at his desk in the front of the class, signing a couple things off on the list in front of him.

"All right, guys," he called over the ruckus. "We have one more presentation we need to get through before you all head home. Jessica?"

The children immediately quieted under his firm instruction. He had been teaching for a long time, 13 years, and learned how to control his students.

The students had had to write a report about what and why they wanted to go into a certain profession. Many had chosen careers like rock stars and athletes, and the sensei couldn't help but chuckle at their innocent dreams of grandeur.

A young girl with dark, almost purple hair tied into a high pony tail skipped to front of the class. Energy seemed to radiate from her as she fidgeted at the front of the room, waiting for her sensei to signal her to begin. When he did, she turned to the class with bright blue shining in anticipation.

"When I grow up, I want to be a fire fighter," she declared with confidence. "No one really sees them, but they're always there. When you think of heroes, you think of soldiers off at war, or do-gooders on far off lands, or Superman on TV. We don't remember those who are right here at home stopping those everyday tragedies.

"Whether they're saving hundreds of people from a burning building while risking their own lives or saving a cat from a tree, these brave men and women do everything they can to make life a better place for all who live in it…"

She went on to explain the history of fire fighters and their profession. When the bell rang at the end of class, Jessica went up to the sensei's desk.

"Well, Uchiha-Sensei, how did I do?" she asked excitedly.

"Very well, Jessica. I really think you believe what you were saying. Being a fire fighter is a noble thing, but it's dangerous, too," he told her gently.

"Dangerous? Well of course I know that. But I want to be a hero so everyone will know and respect me! BELIEVE IT!"

The dark-haired man looked down at the girl. Those blue eyes, shining just as bright on her face as they had on her father's, never ceased to take him back in time. It had been more than thirteen years since his world had changed. It hurt to remember what used to be, but this young girl seemed to awaken so many memories inside.

"Jessica, I have a story to tell you. Take a seat…"

"_Sasuke, dear, what time will you be home?" a feminine voice called from the hallway. _

_The raven-haired man was sitting in his study. Paper work lay scattered around his des documenting the immense documentation he would have to file before the meeting later that evening. _

"_I'll be working late again. There is going to be a late board meeting to go over plans for the big deal coming up," he replied without ever taking his eyes from the files in front of him. _

_A young woman with pink hair walked into the room. She was lovely, with a smooth face and soft features, but the sweet face and tender gaze that used to evoke such a passion seemed to have o effect on her husband sitting at the desk. Sometimes, Sakura wondered why she ever married Sasuke Uchiha, but then she would remember before. _

_Sasuke had been the most handsome man in town. He was the bachelor of bachelors; the man every girl craved. His college room-mate, Naruto, had been a good friend of Sakura's. In fact, it had been the blonde that had got them together. Sakura had found herself without a date to the biggest Valentine's day party ever, and no friend of Uzumaki Naruto was going to be solo on such a holiday. _

_Naruto had convinced his antisocial roommate to escort her for the evening. _

"_Ok Sakura, you know I'd do anything for you. I would go to the party with you myself, but I'm taking Hinata already," Naruto had apologized with a bowed head. "Instead I'll get Sasuke-teme to go with you! Believe it!"_

_Sakura hadn't believed him. Sasuke was the most desirable guy at Konoha University. He had both a girl and a guy fan club. Why would he go to a party with a girl like her? He didn't even go to parties in general! But none the less, he was there. And he was there for her. After that night, there was no going back. Sakura was in love. _

_The two became inseparable. They were best friends, lovers, and so much more. When Sasuke proposed, Sakura felt as if nothing could make her happier. Naruto, of course, stood proudly by his best friend's side as best man with his beautiful fiancé, Hinata, supporting Sakura in the role of maid of honor. _

_The first few years were happy ones for the Uchihas. They stayed close with their friends the Uzumakis and were soon blessed with a beautiful son whom they named Sam. _

_Life was perfect._

_Then Sasuke got promoted._

_He became work obsessed. His older brother disappeared in a flourish, denouncing his claim to any inheritance, so Sasuke was given the company. Not even Naruto's pleas could convince the stressed raven to take a break from the endless monotony office life and spend an evening with his son and wife._

_Although he tried with all his might, Naruto couldn't get his old friend to change his ways and see his family for how amazing they truly were. Naruto had taken his career in a different direction and applied to become a fireman. Though no matter how many lives he saved, Naruto swore he would never claim his life to be a success unless he rescued Sasuke from the career that was killing him._

"_Sasuke, we're supposed to meet Hinata and Naruto for dinner. It's to celebrate Sam being potty trained," Sakura had a bit of pleading in her voice. It had been so long since they had all been together for dinner. Sam missed his daddy. _

"_Celebrate being potty trained…man you guys just keep making excuses to go out drinking. This is the most pathetic of them all," Sasuke snickered. _

"_Fine Sasuke" Sakura sighed, too tired to fight. They had had the conversation so many times, "but I really hope you remember that you still have a son who thinks the world of you. Soon he'll be old enough to realize you're never home, but right now you're still his hero. You can ignore me and forget about me, but don't do it to him. I love you, but I refuse to watch my little boy get hurt by his role model!"_

_Sasuke looked at her for the first time. "Sakura," he began in a cold voice, "who do you think I do all this for? Every bit of work I do is for you and Sam. You both live comfortably in this nice house and good food because of me. If it costs me a few extra hours at work, I'm willing to make that sacrifice for my family's happiness! "_

_There were tears in Sakura's eyes as she whispered, "I was happy when we actually were a family. Money doesn't buy happiness, Sasuke. If you don't figure that out soon, Sam and I won't be here when you do."_

_With that she walked out. Sasuke watched her go. Her threats were empty. She loved him, and she would never take his son away. And even is she wasn't certain of it, he loved her, too. They would work all that out when he got back._

At dinner:

"_And then he said…" _

_Naruto was telling his wife and best friend a story from the fire house. Kiba, Naruto's partner, had put Akamaru, the fire dog, in the chief's, Shikamaru's, cot. It hadn't end ended well for the animal lover…_

_Suddenly, Naruto was interrupted by a beeping noise. He grabbed a small pager from his belt and flipped it open. _

"_Sorry, there's been an accident," Naruto told them, the complete seriousness that came with his job washing away the recent glint of laughter. "The Uchiha Corps was hit by a plane. They need every available man there now." _

"_Sasuke is there…" Sakura said quietly, her eyes staring off in shock. _

_Naruto knelt by his friend's side and put a hand on each her shoulders. Then he promised in the most solemn tone she had ever heard him use, "Sakura, I swear to you I'll bring back Sasuke. No matter what." _

"_Naruto, yes please save Sasuke, but don't forget to take care of yourself," Hinata interrupted. "I meant to tell you tonight…I'm pregnant."_

A rush of joy could be seen circulating the blonde's boy. His eyes grew bright as he grabbed his wife and kissed her cheek. Quickly he dropped to his knees and pressed his ear against her still flat stomach. He closed in a blissful happiness before gently kissing the clothes area covering his child. "_Here that? I'm gonna' be a Daddy! Little Sam's getting himself a play mate." _

_With that, Naruto ran out of the restaurant. _

"_I hope they will be ok," Sakura said, placing a reassuring hand on her newly pregnant friend's back. _

"_Don't worry about Sasuke. Naruto will get him home safe," Hinata replied, an unwavering confidence in her light eyes. _

**Think about the love inside the strength of heart  
Think about the heroes saving life in the dark**

_Everything was dark in the night, but the peaceful black was destroyed by the fervent flames erupting from the Uchiha Corp. building. The flames slowly ate their way through the building as fireman gathered below, preparing for a job that would prove their true worth._

"_Naruto," Shikamaru called as the blond arrived on the scene._

"_Yea chief?" _

"_We're running out of time. That building's rearing to blow any time now. You're our best guy, so we need you in there. All the lower floors have been evacuated," the chief explained quickly as Naruto shrugged on his suit._

"_What about the top floor where the board of directors is meeting?" Naruto asked as he sized up the building._

"_We haven't been able to get to them yet," Shikamaru answered with a sigh, "A ten o'clock meeting is so troublesome."_

_Naruto gave him a knowing look. "I'm going up." _

**Climbing higher through the fire, time was running out  
Never knowing you weren't going to be coming down alive**

_Naruto jumped onto a ladder, hitting the button to send it to the highest window. _

"_Kiba, I'll pass them to you as I find them," Naruto called over his shoulder as he scampered in the window. _

_Inside everything was covered in flames. Men were scattered throughout the hall, trying desperately to escape the flickering tongues of fire. One by one, Naruto carried the frightened employees to the window and passed them down to safety. _

"_Naruto, you have to get out! There isn't much time. This roof won't hold forever," Kiba called. _

"_I still need to find Sasuke!" Naruto yelled back as he once again made his way into the blaze. _

**But you still came back for me  
You were strong and you believed**

_Naruto ran as fast as the half burnt floor allowed him to until he reached the main office. There, pinned to the ground by his knocked over desk, was Sasuke. _

"_Naruto, you baka, get out of here! This place is dangerous!" Sasuke shouted hoarsely. His voice mixed with fear and pain. _

_Heaving the desk up, Naruto let out a grunt_, "_I promised Sakura I'd make sure you got home safely. I have never let her down before and don't plan to start now!"_

"_Man, teme, you need to get your work done. There is too much damn paper in this desk!" _

**Everything is gonna be alright  
Everything is gonna be alright  
Everything is gonna be alright  
Be strong. Believe.  
Be strong. Believe**

"_Can you walk?" Naruto asked._

"_No, I think I broke my leg," Sasuke answered, staring dazed at the impossible bend of his left leg. _

_Together they hobbled through the fire. Each couple steps Naruto encouraged Sasuke and assured him that's everything would be alright. _

_Right as they neared the window, the floor in front of them collapsed. _

"_NARUTO!" Kiba screamed from the ladder._

"_Drop me."_

_Naruto stared flabbergasted at his friend. "What the hell are you saying?" Naruto demanded._

"_Drop me and jump. You can still make it out of here," Sasuke repeated. There was no reason for both of them to die._

"_Like hell I'd do that!" Naruto gave Sasuke a pain look and said in a torn voice," Sasuke, you gotta' do me a favor. Tell Hinata I love her. I love her so much…her and the baby." _

_Sasuke stared at his friend in horror. What was he thinking? What baby?_

_Blue eyes glazing with resolve, in a swift motion Naruto lifted Sasuke and threw him at the window. Kiba grabbed the Uchiha's cinder-covered suit and pulled him over the burnt ledge of the window and dragged him onto the cart. The ladder began to go down as the entire upper floor collapsed. _

_Naruto never emerged. _

**Think about the chance I never had to say  
Thank you for giving up your life that day  
Never fearing, only hearing voices calling out  
Let it all go, the life that you know, just to bring it down alive  
And you still came back for me  
You were strong and you believed**

_Standing in the parking lot below were Hinata and Sakura. The minute Sakura saw her husband's ragged form being placed on a gurney, she r__a__n to his side. Throwing her arms around her husband's neck, Sakura let tears fall for the first time since her arrival. When she finally released him, she streaks of black mascara smudged dark lines down her face. _

"_I thought you were going to die. I didn't mean it, when I said I was going to leave you. I love you," she sobbed. _

_Sasuke just took his wife's shaking hand and held to his lips, letting the realization that he was alive and with the woman he loved sink in._

_Hinata walked up slowly, embarrassed to interrupt the loving scene that the Uchiha couple had not had in such a long time. _

"_Sasuke, where is Naruto?" she asked timidly. _

_Sasuke could not meet the pale eyes of the Hyuuga heiress. _

"_He didn't make it, Hinata." They all turned to see Shikamaru walk up. _

_Hinata collapsed. "NO!" she cried louder than anyone thought she was able to. "Not my Naruto! Not my husband! He can't be dead…he needs to be there for the baby."_

_Her body racked in sobs, and Shikamaru knelt to comfort the wife of his bravest _

_Sasuke froze. "What baby?" Sasuke asked Sakura quietly. _

"_She told him tonight before he left that she was pregnant," Sakura answered sadly. "Naruto was going to be a daddy."_

**Everything is gonna be alright  
Everything is gonna be alright  
Everything is gonna be alright  
Be strong. Believe.**

_Everyone was in black as they stood with tears in their eyes. The service for Naruto's funeral had just ended. _

"_I can't believe this happened," Sasuke mumbled to himself. He hadn't asked Naruto to save him; he just did it on his own. Now, Sasuke couldn't even say thank you. _

_Naruto was gone- forever. _

_In his arms, Sakura was sobbing her eyes out. Ever since she had made sure Sasuke was alright, she'd hardly left his side, as if afraid she's glance away and he'd be gone; like Naruto. Sasuke didn't mind. The things Naruto had said, about never letting Sakura down, made him think of all the times he had let her down. All those dinners he'd skipped, late nights at work, missing Sam's last birthday party._

_A grey-haired man walked up behind them. It was Kakashi-sensei, Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura's old college professor. Kakashi had been very close with his three favorite students and had been helping Hinata gather legal papers. _

_Shikamaru also joined the small cluster. Being the fire chief, he felt the responsibility for Naruto's death stronger than most._

"_Naruto didn't follow orders," he growled. "I told him to get out of there."_

_Kakashi placed a hand on the angered man's back and said, "People who do not follow orders are trash, but those who abandon their comrades are worse than trash."_

**Wanna hold my wife when I get home  
Wanna tell the kids they'll never know how much I love to see them smile  
Wanna make a change or two right now  
Wanna live a life like you somehow  
Wanna make your sacrifice worthwhile**

_When the Uchihas returned to their home, Sasuke held Sakura to him as they looked over the bed of their sleeping son._

"_Would you really have left?" he asked. _

_She tensed in his arms. "Oh, I don't even know now. All I wanted was for Sam to have all the happiness I could give him. Every time you ignored him or brushed him aside for work, I saw the hurt in his little eyes…but no. I don't think I would have left. I love you Sasuke. Nothing can change that. I think what happened proved it to me."_

_Sasuke said nothing, but when the tears started falling down her cheeks, he gently kissed the watery streaks. It had been so long…he had forgotten how much he loved holding her. _

"_I'm going to change," he said quietly so Sakura could barely hear. "Naruto gave up his s life for mine. I'm going to make it worth it. That's the only way I know to make it up to him."_

_Sakura leaned into his chest and smiled. This was her dream at night, for Sasuke to change his ways and come back to her…_

_If only it hadn't come at such a price. _

**Everything is gonna be alright  
Everything is gonna be alright  
Everything is gonna be alright  
Be strong. Believe.**

**Everything is gonna be alright  
Everything is gonna be alright  
Everything is gonna be alright  
Be strong. Believe.**

_Soon after, Sakura found herself pregnant with their second son. Sasuke quit his job in favor of teaching seventh graders at the local public school._

_Hinata slowly dwindled as the months wore on, only finding the strength to rise each morning by remembering the life she carried. When the time finally came for delivery, both Uchiha's were there to hold her hand, knowing she would need every bit of support possible. After the birth, Hinata was able to hold her daughter one time and see the bright blue eyes of her daughter before closing her own and drifting into the world where her husband was waiting for her._

_Without even having to discuss it, the Uchihas took the little girl in as their own. They named her Jessica, and she was only a little older than their second son, John. _

"Is that my parent's story?" Jessica asked in a quiet voice.

"Yes," Sasuke nodded at his adopted daughter. She knew he wasn't her real father, but she had never asked about where she really came from. It never seemed important to her.

"Why didn't I ever get to know about him?"

Sasuke sighed and affectionately ruffled the girl's hair, "You're a lot like Naruto, even if you do look like Hinata. I knew if I told you he was hero, you would be off trying all the same dangerous stunts he did. And trust me, that's more heart attacks than a parent can bear."

Jessica let out a clear laugh, almost identical to the one Naruto used to have. "I get into trouble anyway! Besides, you and mom raised me to help others first, which is what my dad did. If that's how he spent his life, it's how I want to spend mine."

Sasuke smiled. "Your father died to save me, and I'll always wish I could thank him for that. If you decide to be a fire fighter, you have my support all the way."

**Think about the love inside the strength of heart**

**Think about the heroes saving life in the dark  
Think about the chance I never had to say  
Thank you for giving up your life that day**

Author's Note

**Well this was originally intended to be a 9/11 remembrance story, so if you saw parallels there it was on purpose. Hope you enjoyed, if not, I'm sorry for wasting your time.**

**No flamers please**

**Peace Out **


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